My cover
by macrollins
Summary: Just my thoughts on the Valentine's Day episode until the final episode.
1. Chapter 1

Hello friends. Remembering that I don't own the characters, it's just a story from fan to fan.

Steve was sitting on the couch, squeezed between Brooke and Danny. He tried to pay attention to the movie and occasionally looked at Brooke and Danny and smiled. Deep down it wasn't a smile of joy, it was a smile to hide your pain. It was easier to smile to avoid questions that reminded him of what he didn't get over, it was easier to smile to try to deceive himself.

The film continued on the TV screen and he looked at his friends who were there, looked at Brooke, Eddie ... and felt alone in the crowd.

"Where will my love be?" he thought as he remembered that she had already been there on that very couch with him on happy days.

They were good moments divided only between the two. He lowers his head and smiles, and this time it is a genuine smile.

"Do you think the movie is funny?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Steve replied not to have to explain.

"But the hero of the movie is almost dying," Brooke told him.

"Sorry," Steve said.

A few minutes later, Steve excused himself and went into the bedroom. He opened the door to the balcony and looked out at the dark horizon. "Are you thinking of me as I am thinking of you? Even if you are with someone else, we are alone within ourselves."

Steve sighed and stretched his arms.

"You didn't teach me to live without you, you didn't teach me to forget you. You just taught me to love you. How to forget your beautiful smile?" Steve sighed.

He thought about where she might be right now. The urge to call her was so urgent, but he knew he wouldn't do it. "Where are you, Catherine? I could be myself with you. With you I didn't need to hide behind a smile."

Danny realized Steve was taking too long and went after him.

"Steve, you left Brooke there alone. This is not cool."

"You're right, Danny. I'm already coming down," Steve replied.

"Don't delay," Danny said and went back to the living room.

Steve looked again at the starry sky and thought about the smile and the sparkle in Catherine's eyes. "Who can compete with the stars besides you, Cath? Nobody." He asked and he answered himself.

Steve went down the stairs and returned to the living room. He sat down again between Danny and Brooke and smiled at her. "My smile, my cover."


	2. Chapter 2

Days later...

Danny was surprised when he heard Steve say he would have a dinner with Emma, the vet. "So you went out with Brooke and now you're going out with Emma?"

"Yes, that's it," Steve replied while he was ironing clothes.

Junior entered the kitchen and interrupted Danny and Steve's conversation, but Danny remained thoughtful. "What's going on with Steve? I know he's not fickle like that. Because he's going out one day with a woman and the next day going out with another woman. It wasn't like that when he was with Catherine. He could spend months without even looking at another woman while Catherine was working," Danny thought.

Danny looked at Steve again. He seemed to have aged more than Danny over the years, and even though he was getting ready for a date, he didn't look happy.

"He managed to resist Lori, Ellie, and Alicia. He couldn't move on with Lynn or Brooke and Emma. I have to admit that I miss seeing him happy as in Catherine's time," Danny continued with his thoughts.

Hours later, Danny questioned Steve wanting to know why he was unable to sleep, but Steve didn't want to talk about it. And when Steve wanted to stop to watch the sunset, Danny was even more concerned.

"Steve is depressed, Junior. He doesn't want to talk about it and not talking will make it worse," Danny told Junior hours later as they were having a beer, sitting on the couch

"But what can we do if he doesn't want to talk?" Junior told Danny.

"He would have a date today, but instead of going to the date, he went with us to that bar. Not even the women are making him happy," Danny told Junior in a low voice.

"Why are you whispering, Danny?" Junior asked.

"Because he doesn't sleep. From the couch, I can hear him walking around the bedroom all night," Danny replied.

"And what do you think we should do, Danny?" Junior asked.

"I'm going to talk to Lou, ask to spend more time with him. We can't leave him alone. I'm going on vacation with the kids and I'm worried about him."

"I'm here, Danny. He won't be alone," Junior replied.

"Hey, what are you guys whispering?" Steve asked from up there.

"We're talking bad about you," Danny replied.

"Are you living in my house, sitting on my couch, drinking my beer and still have the courage to speak ill of me? What about you, Junior? Are you going to disappoint me too?" Steve asked.

"Danny is kidding. We're not talking bad about you," Junior replied.

"I hope not," Steve replied and went back to his room. He sat on the bed, propped his elbows on his knees and put both hands on his head. "It will be another long night."

Steve couldn't stop thinking about Doris. He wondered what their lives would be like if she hadn't left with Kono and Adam long ago. He thought that maybe there would be more visits from Mary if their mother was around, maybe Catherine wasn't gone. "What are you thinking about, Steve? One thing has nothing to do with the other," he told himself.

Steve got up and walked around his bedroom.

"That girl loves you, Steve," Doris had told him the day he had a fight with Catherine. Maybe Doris would open his eyes if she thought he was neglecting Catherine. Anyway, many things were going through his head and that didn't let him sleep.

"Are you listening? That's what I say, he doesn't sleep," Danny told Junior.

"Maybe we should call Catherine. She seems to have a good influence on him," Junior said.

"Maybe. But this is a field in his life that we can't get involved in, Junior. A lot has happened between them," Danny replied.

Steve looked at the stars through the window. He thought about many things, but in the end she was always present in his mind: her face, the smile, the sparkle in her eyes, the sweet and caring way ...

PS: Laura and Cath, are you Ok? Give me some news. And to all readers: be safe. Hugs!


	3. Chapter 3

Steve woke up feeling lost. He didn't swim that day as usual. He had been thinking about his father for days, about how John must have suffered after Doris's supposed death.

"From one day to the next our lives changed dramatically," Steve thought.

Today he knows how difficult it must have been for his father to send him and Mary away, but the young Steve didn't understand. Today Steve regretted the unspoken words, the unmade calls, the unspoken "I love you, dad".

Steve left the house aimlessly and wanted to go to the cemetery and visit his father's grave. Danny called him, but he didn't answer the phone. He needed time just for him and John.

Steve entered the cemetery and walked to his father's grave. He knelt and read the headstone. "" Beloved husband and father. "

Steve sighed. "Did my mother really love you someday? She did us so much harm. We didn't deserve it, Dad."

Steve looked around, and that quiet, sad place added to his loneliness.

"I wish we had been friends, I wish I had talked to you about girls. I'm sure you would love Catherine," Steve said in a low voice and soon realized he was thinking about her again.

"I'm sorry, Dad. We were both unlucky in love. She's gone and I don't know what I do with that hole in my heart. Nothing,and no one, has managed to fill that void she left in my life. I tried to forget her, I swear I tried, but I can't."

Steve was silent for a few minutes and looked back when he heard the noise of Danny's car arriving.

"I love you," Steve said to John and got up to meet Danny.

Danny complained that Steve didn't answer his call and they both sat down to talk. Steve said just a little bit of what was in his heart and Danny knew he had to get it little by little, because Steve never says everything that is in his thoughts.

The only person he could say everything he felt to was Catherine. He always told her everything, but he took too long to say what mattered most, he took too long to say he loved her. "Maybe that's why she left," Steve thought.

The whole team was worried about Steve and at the end of the day, Danny asked him to talk frankly.

Steve was reluctant for a few seconds, but he could no longer bear everything he was feeling, he needed to share this with someone and no one better than his best friend to understand what he felt.

Steve opened his heart to Danny, although not entirely, because if he had been completely sincere, he would have talked about how much he missed Catherine.

Danny understood his friend's reasons, but his revelations saddened him: Steve wanted to leave.

Steve looked at the horizon at sea. After everything that happened to him, he needed peace. After all the people he lost, there was only one person he could get back.


	4. Chapter 4

When Steve received the cipher left by Doris, he initially didn't know if he wanted to find out what it was. He just wanted to forget, just wanted to be at peace in his thoughts, but when Danny was attacked inside the house, he knew he needed to resolve this.

"Everyone walks into this house whenever they want," Danny was going to say to Steve, but gave up because he knew Steve was going through a difficult internal process. Danny knew he was in conflict with his own self, so it wasn't time to kidding with him.

Lincoln had told Steve that he knew someone who could decipher the number Doris had left for him and they were in the car, going to meet him. Lincoln had said that only his friend would be able to do that, but then he remembered Catherine.

"Naval Intelligence officer, very smart," Lincoln said.

Those words hit Steve's heart. "Her name wouldn't be Catherine Rollins, would it?"

Lincoln asked if Steve knew her and saw him smile in a way that he hadn't yet seen when stating that she had been his girl for many years.

Lincoln asked if it was serious, and Steve replied that she was the only one who escaped. Lincoln was smart and perceptive enough to realize that Steve still loved her and that the subject had moved him a lot.

After Danny was kidnapped and shot, Lincoln realized that Steve was lost. He had exchanged Doris's encrypted message for Danny's life, and yet Danny's life was still not certain on the operating table.

Lincoln then understood that he needed to act, but he needed Steve's permission. Steve not only gave his permission, he also told Lincoln to take Quinn with him.

While Steve and the team suffered for Danny, Lincoln found that the man who would decipher Doris's message was dead. But there was still Catherine.

Lincoln called his contacts until he found Catherine's phone number.

Lincoln then called her. "Catherine Rollins?"

"Yes, who am I talking to?" she asked.

"Lincoln Cole. I don't know if you still remember me, we met a few years ago."

"Of course I remember you, Lincoln. I just didn't recognize your voice. Can I help you with anything?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, Catherine. Actually, it is a mutual friend who needs your help," Lincoln replied.

"Who?" Catherine asked.

"Steve McGarrett."

Catherine felt her heart race when she heard Steve's name. "Did something happen to Steve?"

"Some things have happened, but I don't have time to tell you now. I need you to decipher a message that his mother left for him. I'm going to send you the photo. And, Catherine, this is urgent, please."

"Okay, Lincoln. Send me the picture and I'll send you the message as soon as I'm done," Catherine replied.

"Okay, Catherine. Thank you."

Catherine cracked the code faster than Lincoln imagined and sent the answer back to him.

"Thank you, Catherine," he replied.

"Can I call you later to find out everything that happened?" Catherine asked him. She was very concerned about Steve.

"Of course," Lincoln replied and she was more relieved.

"Thank you. I'll talk to you later then."

Catherine kept thinking about Steve and wondering what was going on with him.

"Did he tell Lincoln about me? How could Lincoln know that I knew Steve?" she thought.

"Were you talking to McGarrett's ex?" Quinn asked Lincoln.

"Yes, do you know her too?"

"No, but I've heard of her. I think he's still in love."

"Do you think? Well, I'm sure," Lincoln replied to Quinn.

With the ciphe deciphered, Lincoln helped Steve figure out what his father's last mission was. He learned that his father suspected that Doris had forged his own death and did not want Steve to know about it so as not to be further hurt.

"I love you, Dad," Steve thought as he laid his head on the pillow. After everything that had happened during the day, he still went back to the hospital to see Danny and then, at Danny's insistence, went home to rest.

Steve cried again for the people in his past and Catherine came to his mind as well. She was the only one who was still alive. Live within your heart and so far out of your hands. He also cried because Danny almost died because of him. It would be another sleepless night for him.

Lincoln was also resting when Catherine called him.

"I'm sorry to call so late, Lincoln. Can you tell me everything that happened now?"

Lincoln remembered Steve's face and smile when they talked about her. "Of course, Catherine. I have a lot to tell you."

Continues...


	5. Chapter 5

Catherine was thrilled to hear Lincoln's words. "Did he really say I was his girl?"

"Yes, he said it clearly. And, Catherine, I'm sorry for the boldness, but I'm sure he still likes you a lot and misses the time when you were together.

"Thank you so much, Lincoln. I'm going to have a lot to think about tonight. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, you don't know how enlightening this conversation between the two of you was for me."

"You're welcome, Catherine. And if you need anything, I'm still here," Lincoln replied.

"Thank you. You are a very good friend," Catherine told him e ended the call.

Catherine didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "His girl. His girl was me."

"Oh, God, give me a direction, tell me what I have to do."

Catherine thought she needed to be alone with him, she needed to try to make things right with him again. All of her attempts to reconnect with him failed. "I can't give up, I need to try again. I threw my happiness away and I will get it again."

Three days later...

Steve went to visit Danny at the hospital and the team was also there to see him before they started another day of work. Lincoln also showed up to see how Danny was doing.

"I'm better. Did you think you were going to get rid of me so easy? Well, you're not going! I'm still here," Danny told the team.

"I can see that you are much better. Talking too much as always," Steve told him.

After they left the hospital, Steve gathered the team at headquarters and Lincoln was invited.

"Well, I don't even know where to start," Steve said and stopped talking for a moment.

The team looked at him expectantly and he needed courage to continue.

"I want to say how important each one of you is to me, I will be forever grateful to have met everyone here in this room and also those who aren't here, like Danny, Duke, Kamekona, Noelane, and so many others people who went through my life after I came back to the island."

"What do you mean, boss?" Tani asked.

"I want to say that I need a break, Tani. And I'm leaving the island in four days. I need some time for myself. For a long time I took care of the motherland, I took care of this island, I took care of people. Now I just need to take care of myself."

Everyone was shocked and sad.

"Oh, man!" Lou exclaimed.

"Steve, this is very difficult to hear," Adam said.

Júnior was sad, but respected Steve's decision.

" It's not a final goodbye, but I don't know when I'll be back. I just need some peace now and I won't have that if I stay here. I hope you understand me."

"We understand, even though it's tough," Quinn replied.

"Junior, I'm counting on you to keep Danny company, to help take care of Eddie," Steve said.

"You can count on me, boss," Junior replied.

"You can count on all of us, we won't leave Danny or Eddie alone," Lou replied and the others agreed.

Steve looked at Lincoln. "Since you're around now, take care of them all for me."

"It will be a pleasure, Steve. I need to go now, see you later," Lincoln said and left.

Lincoln left Headquarters and texted Catherine. "Steve is leaving the island in four days and he has no date to return. He looks a little lost to me. If you want to see him, you need to hurry up."

Catherine received the message from Lincoln and the part where he said Steve looked lost worried her. She knew that, after all he had been through, the moment would come when he would fall apart. "And I need to be beside him to keep him from falling."

At the end of the day, Steve returned to the hospital to see Danny.

"How was Rachel's visit?" Steve asked.

"She didn't seem very moved to see me in a hospital bed. But it was nice to see my son," Danny replied.

"Oh, did Charlie come? That's good," Steve said.

"Yes, and Grace is coming over the weekend."

"I'm happy to hear that, Danny. Happy to see you improve with each passing day," Steve said.

"What tone of voice is that? It sounds like a goodbye."

"I already bought my ticket, Danny. My flight leaves in four days. I'm going to miss you, friend."


	6. Chapter 6

Two days later...

Steve and Charlie went to get Danny from the hospital.

Charlie entered the room excitedly and hugged his father gently as Steve had instructed him, since Danny was still in a lot of pain. "Hi, Dad. I came to get you!"

"Hi, son. What a nice surprise!" Danny said to the boy.

"Mom let me stay at Uncle Steve's until the night," Charlie said.

"Wow! How nice your mom was today," Danny said.

"Danny!" Steve reproached him for sarcasm.

"Ok, you are right," Danny told Steve. And he immediately fixed what he said to Charlie. "Your mom was really nice about allowing you to come pick me up and spend the day with me, Charlie. Tell her I said thanks."

"I will say, Daddy."

Steve smiled. "Can we go now?"

"Sure." Danny struggled to his feet and Steve helped him into the wheelchair.

"Does it hurt, Daddy?" Charlie asked.

"It hurts, son, but I'll be fine. Don't worry about me."

Danny spent the rest of the day with Charlie and at night Steve took the boy home.

"Charlie is safe and sound in his house" Steve told Danny when he got home.

"Thanks for bringing him, Steve."

"You're welcome, Danny. Now go rest, you are still very down. I'll help you up the stairs."

"Go up the stairs for what? I always sleep on the couch," Danny told Steve.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch today. You can sleep in my bed starting today, I only have two more nights here anyway. I can handle sleeping two days on the couch," Steve replied.

"Are you really going to insist on leaving the island?" Danny asked.

"Yes, Danny. This is already resolved," replied Steve.

Far from there, Catherine put a few pieces of clothing in a bag, got dressed and left. Some time later, she was on a plane to Hawaii. It would be long flight hours and she thought about what she would say to Steve when she arrived in Hawaii. She didn't know whether to go to his house or go to headquarters. "Anyway, I won't be alone with him, there is always someone."

The next day, Steve went to talk to the Governor and introduced Lincoln to him.

"I accept Lincoln on the team, but I don't accept his resignation. Take your time, and when you're back, I want you on the team again," the Governor told Steve.

"But I don't know how long it can take," Steve replied.

"No matter how long it takes, Commander."

Steve and Lincoln were in the car on the way to headquarters.

"Will the team accept me well?" Lincoln asked Steve.

"Of course it is. I mean, only Danny can be grumpy at first, but then you'll be fine," Steve replied and smiled.

Catherine arrived at the airport and remembered the day she left for Afghanistan, when Steve went to the airport and joined her in the departure queue. And she had an idea.

Lincoln received a message and smiled.

"What is it? Any girls?" Steve asked.

"Yes, but it's just my friend."

"I know ..." Steve replied, doubting his answer.

"Seriously. She lives on the mainland, I can get the two of you together."

"No, thanks. Danny has already arranged me a few dates and it didn't work," Steve replied.

Lincoln smiled and read the message again.

"I'm in Hawaii. Can you find Steve's flight number? Please!"

"I'll try," Lincoln replied.

Lincoln looked at Steve and smiled. "How am I supposed to do that without raising suspicion?" He thought, but did it in the most unlikely way ,that is, direct. "So, what's your flight number?"

Steve found the question strange. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, I need some numbers to bet on the lottery."

Steve looked at Lincoln and smiled. "Are you serious?"

"Yes I am. You always have to change the numbers. I don't believe in this thing of always betting on the same numbers," Lincoln replied.

Steve laughed out loud. "Do you want the seat number too?"

"It would be perfect," Lincoln replied.

Catherine received Lincoln's answer faster than she expected and immediately bought her ticket back. Then she went to a hotel where she would stay until the next morning.

At the end of the day, Steve was in the kitchen ironing the clothes he would take on the trip. He was not carrying much, just as he was not bringing much when he arrived on the island. He didn't have a certain destiny, a perfect plan. He just wanted to feel free and do whatever he wanted. He didn't know if it would bring him happiness, he just knew he couldn't be unhappy anymore.

Catherine was at the hotel, lying in bed, trying to sleep. She was looking forward to the next day. "Will Steve accept me? Will he look at me and see the same Catherine from before? Can he still love me? I hope so."


	7. Chapter 7

Catherine arrived early at the airport and quietly waited for Steve. She was afraid that he would give up the trip, so she solved that wouldn't get on the plane first.

After half an hour, which seemed like an eternity to her, Steve arrived at the airport and went straight to boarding. Catherine breathed a sigh of relief and let him board first.

Steve got on the plane and looked for his seat. He put his backpack away and sat down. He was surprised that only the seat next to him was empty. "I hope my traveling companion isn't a boring guy," he thought. He rubbed both hands on his pants signaling that he was anxious. Soon he received a message from Danny saying that he already missed him. Steve smiled because he knew Danny would call him several times a day, no matter where he is.

Catherine got on the plane and saw him sitting there, looking out the window. Her heart sped up, but she remained calm. "It's now or never."

Catherine approached slowly. "Is this seat empty?"

Steve's brain picked up that voice immediately and he turned his head to look at her. He was very surprised and could not explain the turmoil of emotions that took over his heart at that moment. They exchanged glances for a few seconds and Catherine was expecting his reaction to seeing her there.

"Catherine?" he finally asked as if to say "What are you doing here?"

Catherine smiled and called him the way that only she did, and even if someone else called him that, it wouldn't be the same way and it wouldn't have the same meaning. He was her sailor, they met in the Navy and grew up professionally together at the same institution and had very happy years. "Hey, sailor."

Steve stopped to think and soon understood everything. "Was it you?" he asked and he answered himself. "You cracked the cipher."

Catherine nodded. "Lincoln spoke to me, said you needed help. So, yeah."

"He's a good man," Steve told her. "He brought you to me," Steve thought.

Catherine smiled. "It must be. After all, you gave him Danno's car keys."

"We are not going to let Danny Williams drive his own car," Steve told her.

"He never drove," Catherine replied and Steve smiled. She remained standing, because despite having paid for the seat next to him, she would not impose herself on his life. She would only come back if he wanted her back, so she stood there waiting for his decision.

Steve noticed this and invited her to sit. She sat down and he was agitated. He looked at her while she sat down and after fastening her seat belt, he ran his hands over his pants again. He thought about what to say to her, but was unable to speak.

Catherine noticed that he was a little agitated and he looked at her. "Are you ready?" she asked. They understood each other with the look, with the heart. Steve understood what she meant between the lines. "Are you ready to forgive me? Are you ready to give me another chance? Will you let me be your girl again?"

"Yeah," Steve replied. He looked at her waiting for confirmation from her too and she did it very subtly, but he understood. She was ready to stay.

Steve then held out his open hand, looked at her and then looked in the direction of his hand, offered her a captive place in his heart and life.

Catherine smiled and put her hand in his and he held it tight. That handshake meant that they were back together now and he would never let her go again. They were ready to follow the road of life together.

Catherine leaned her head against the seat and breathed a sigh of relief. She had her sailor and her happiness back .

Steve looked out the window and smiled. Her presence there made him realize that she was all that was missing in his life. She was his past, present, and future, his eternal love.

The sun's rays shone through the window. Every dawn brings a breath of hope, a new chance to be happy.

End.

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. I see you in a new story: "Steve and Catherine: a new beginning". Soon.


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